


The Four Seasons

by jenajasper



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Autumn in New England, Big Brother Dean, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Caretaker Sam, Changing seasons, Childhood Memories, Christmas, Christmas Presents, Dean's Jacket, Episode: s05e16 Dark Side of the Moon, Fireworks, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Fourth of July, Hurt Dean Winchester, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sam/Dean - Freeform, Saving People Hunting Things, The Family Business, unadulterated schmoop and I am not ashamed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 15:16:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5544857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenajasper/pseuds/jenajasper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a scene from each of the seasons of the year.<br/>They are from different times and in different places.<br/>The way a memory might come to you</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Dean were alone this Christmas but more importantly, they were together

Sam passed by the vintage clothing store. He took a moment to appreciate the eclectic holiday display. He laughed at the mannequin family of carolers in ugly sweaters, the youngest riding along on a wooden sled. He walked over to look at the other window, passing the door displaying a live wreath. For a moment he thought he could he smell the pine scent. Then he realized the wreath was outside, resting only on a nail. He had an odd feeling of sadness that this kind of trust should seem so unusual to him. Then he smiled as he thought that maybe the world was more than just the ugliness he and Dean saw almost every day.

The other store window was a diorama of Christmas morning. There was a small table top tree decorated with blinking lights and glass ornaments.  
There was a red plaid tree skirt, sprinkled with tiny snowflake appliques, covering the table. In front, were two children dressed in bathrobe and pajamas. And in the corner, was mom in classic ‘Donna Reed’ shirtwaist and a candy cane decorated apron.

Standing next to mom, in a Santa hat, was dad. He was carrying a toy fire truck and his coat was covered in ‘snow’. He was wearing a leather jacket, 

Sam found himself staring. The jacket was brown and worn, with small patches of what the seller would call ‘distress’. It was a beautiful jacket. Now, Sam wasn’t a big leather jacket fan but, there was something about this coat. He closed his eyes and felt a warmth pass through him 

His eyes popped open and a small laugh burst out. The coat reminded him of Dean. He had a fleeting thought of buying it so Dean would have a spare. It looked to be the right size. And Dean never had a spare anything.

But he wouldn’t. He had put this money together for something specific. It would be the perfect gift. And besides, Dean would never wear this jacket. The one he had was their dad’s and that made it more than just a coat. He could never replace it. 

Sam took one more look at the jacket in the window and sighed. He walked down the street to finish his shopping. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dean walked out of the store with more money than he expected. Any remorse he may have felt over the loss of his leather jacket was totally overshadowed by the satisfying realization (because Dean would never use the phrase 'warm fuzzy feeling') that he would now be able to give Sam a Christmas he would always remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were wondering what ever happened to Dean's leather jacket


	2. Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one really knows what tomorrow will bring.

The ache in his shoulder woke Dean from his sleep. He could see the grey peeking from between the curtains. He could hear the steady beat of the rain on the window. 

He closed his eyes again, in an attempt, to catch that space of time when sleep hangs around before the brain fully wakes. He shifted to relieve the pressure on his arm and felt the weight. The realization brought a smile to his face and a feeling of warmth spread through him. It was a combination of the heat within himself and that radiating from the body next to him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A couple of days ago, Sam found a job in the local news. An elderly woman claimed her house was haunted. It seemed textbook: cold spots, flickering lights, even a recently dead husband buried, nice and neat, in the town cemetery. The neighbors thought she was crazy.

It was just another blue plate special until Sam and Dean found themselves at the buffet.

The woman claimed that all the action was on the second floor of the house so, up they went. Sam turned to check the bedrooms while Dean followed the widow.

Sam cocked his head at the sound. He turned to see his brother struggling with…...a little old lady? It would have been funny if not for the look on Dean’s face and the words “She’s a demon!”

Immediately, Sam reached into his jacket to remove the blade from its sheath as he stepped toward them. He plunged the knife and the demon lashed out, knocking him against the wall. Using his, now empty, hands to brace himself, Sam quickly looked back to see the demon, with the blade still in its back, spasm once more before falling dead even as Dean was hurled over the handrail.

Time is measured in minutes, seconds; how many went by , Sam didn’t know as he sat, unmoving, against the wall. Then he heard his name in a small voice from far away. “Dean,” he said, “Oh my God, Dean.”

He scrambled to his feet and quickly approached the railing, afraid of what he might find. What he saw was Dean’s hand clutching one of the balusters. Sam reached one arm over and gripped his brother’s wrist while, with the other, he grabbed Dean’s other flailing arm. Then they climbed and pulled and scrabbled until Dean collapsed on the second floor landing. 

Sam fell to his knees wrapping himself around his big brother. He gripped him tightly as if he would break apart, easing up only a little when Dean grunted from a painful touch to his shoulder. Sam’s breath became uneven and he began to labor, gulping almost to the point of hiccups and his breath escaped forcefully in sobs as his eyes filled with tears. He was overwhelmed with the mixture of relief and fear. Dean leaned his head back against the balcony railing, his breathing shallow and short. He thought the shivering was his own until he felt the tightening of his brother’s trembling arms around him. 

Dean’s left arm was trapped between them and his attempt to move it, verified that his shoulder had dislocated, again. So, he reached out with his right and gently pulled Sam closer to comfort him. And he lightly stroked his brother’s hair. Then he spoke those soothing words, which, more often than not, were untrue. “I’m okay, Sammy. It’s all okay.”

Sam drove them to the motel. He had popped Dean’s shoulder back into place, the usual routine. It was a silent ride, both men still unnerved over the recent unfortunate turn of events.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sam started a hot shower. He assisted Dean in undressing with no resistance. Dean ached in almost every part of his body. Sam joined his brother in the shower; he washed his hair and bathed him, taking advantage of the opportunity to inspect his brother's injuries without protest. 

When they were done, Dean sat on the bed and Sam knelt between his brother’s legs as he wrapped his arm to keep it stable. He felt Dean wince from the pain. Sam hung his head and said.“Oh God, Dean, I thought I had lost you.” 

Dean lifted Sam’s chin to look into his face. He shushed him. Sam leaned into Dean’s pursed lips and they touched. In that instant, he felt Dean’s grip tighten where his hand was resting on Sam’s shoulder. He pulled away almost immediately. Sam watched Dean close his eyes and slide his tongue slowly along his lips. Then he looked at Sam and smiled as he slid his hand up along Sam’s throat until he was cradling his jaw. They kissed again; this time it was mutual. 

 

Sam held his brother’s bottom lip between his two and ran his tongue slowly along the smooth skin. He heard the soft sound as Dean’s breath escaped through his nostrils and felt it warm against his face. He rested his hands on Dean’s thighs, absently massaging small circles with his thumbs.

Dean also heard a sound. It was needy almost desperate. And to his dying day, he would swear it was Sam. 

Sam sucked on that plump bottom lip and Dean slid his hand through Sam’s hair. He grabbed a loose fistful and gently urged Sam’s head back, forcing his brother to loosen his hold and open his mouth. Dean leaned into Sam and offered his tongue which Sam greedily accepted. This kiss became sloppy and wet, each man unable to control the emotion. It was as if they had been caged and suddenly allowed to run free.

Sam slowly slid his hands along Dean’s body, enjoying the feeling of the firm muscle under his smooth warm skin. With his one arm, Dean fondled and stroked with a tenderness and dexterity that Sam would have found remarkable, had he not been so preoccupied.  
.  
They finally separated, their breathing shallow and quick. Their skin flushed and heated. Their lips kiss swollen and darkened. Their eyes glistening and pupils enlarged. 

Sam put a hand to caress Dean’s face and let it travel to his neck and shoulder. He felt a slight hitch in Dean’s breathing and he knew that was a sign of how much pain his brother was hiding. 

Sam put him to bed and after fetching his brother something for the pain, climbed in beside him. He settled himself with his head on Dean’s chest. And they slept.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Sam stirred as Dean shifted himself onto his right side, pulling his brother closer. He could hear Sam's soft breathing. The only other sound was the spattering of the raindrops on the windows. Dean brushed the hair from Sam’s face and kissed him on his forehead. He watched as his eyelids fluttered before opening.  
.  
And like the green grass reaches to catch the life giving rain from the blue grey skies, their eyes met.* 

One brother smiled and the other blushed. 

It was going to be a beautiful day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two :* unadulterated schmoop; I warned you


	3. Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Dean were sitting on the hood of the Impala, watching the skies. They didn’t speak, just looked up at the stars. But it was different tonight; tonight was the Fourth of July.

It was the fourth of July. And all day long there were picnics and barbecues and baseball. Then, when the sun went down, people all over the country, celebrated the end of the day with fireworks. It was a salute to the spirit of freedom, in as big a display as you could manage. 

The Winchester Brothers had their pick of any celebration in any town they chose, from big city extravaganza to back yard sparklers. 

Sam and Dean spent a good part of this afternoon at this particular fair. They challenged each other to so-called games of skill, giving away easily won prizes to any kids who came their way. 

And despite his brother's teasing and taunting, Dean resisted entering the pie eating contest to serve as a judge at the pie baking contest. 

The day passed in a blur of food and laughter and maybe a beer or two . The brothers were having a great time sampling homemade sweets and fresh picked fruits and vegetables. And they ended the day sharing plates at a community potluck supper. 

As the day started to fade and the sky began to darken, there was a buzz in the air, a feeling of excitement in everyone around them. The highlight of the day was coming. Sam and Dean were sitting on the Impala far from the crowd, not in the mood to share this private time. Their precious peaceful moments alone. 

Dean could sense tension in his younger brother as they waited for the start of the show. It was in the uncontrollable shaking of his left foot, the tap tap tap of his boot on Baby’s fender.

Sam rests his hand on Dean’s thigh. He squeezes, trying to release some of the anticipation chewing him up inside. He’s fidgety, unable to sit still. It's not like a kid, bouncy and animated. It was more subtle, something only Dean would notice. Sam slid further back on the hood of the Impala, then in just a few minutes, he shifted again, never moving beyond his ability to touch his big brother. 

Dean rolled his eyes, not in annoyance or disapproval but, in amazement. After everything the brothers had seen and done, that this kind of innocent pleasure could have such an effect on Sam.

Sam is excited and Dean remembers another night of fireworks. 

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

He remembered thinking, ‘heaven should be like this’.  
Just the two of them.

 

There was a little bit of a chill in the air. Not enough really for a heavy jacket but, you might need long sleeves if you were going to be out for a while. It wasn’t what was expected at this time of the year but, they were in the mountains. And this part of the country made its own rules about the weather. 

Dean never used to care much for fireworks, the science of it so familiar in their line of work. The knowledge that flares could kill and almost any kind of spark could create enough fire to burn bones.

The only real enjoyment, for him, had always been when a girl, startled from the noise, cuddled up closer squeezing his arm and taking comfort in him tightening his hold on her softness. But that was before tonight. 

Tonight, he had taken Sam to a secret place, a clearing deep in the woods and watched his little brother’s eyes light up when he saw the stash in the trunk. Dean watched as Sam sifted through the assortment of firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles, sparklers and spinners.

His voice an octave too high with excitement.”Thanks, Dean.”  
Then, in the next moment, his voice was too deep, in a whisper keeping the secret between themselves, “Dad would never let us…” 

And Dean smiled at the expression on Sam’s face, the awe. And he found that it was difficult to draw breath as his chest tightened, filled with everything that came with realizing that there was still a way for him to give Sam that sense of wonder.

Dean watched the frantic movements as his little brother bounced around reminding him of a spring-loaded spinning top or an excited colt, with limbs too long and gangly. And he laughed, wrapped up in Sam’s joy.

Dean’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of Sam’s face as the sparks flew and he yelled, “Fire in the hole!” They could hear the whistles, the sizzles and sharp cracks as they filled the sky with the bright lights of innumerable stars.

And the world disappeared until there was nothing but the two of them and the flying and twirling lights. There was no sound but the crackling and popping of the tiny explosions and screams of the rockets . Dean felt his senses intensify. He felt the air, smelled the burning paper and string, He could see the sparks so clearly, the colors, the shape of the smoke trails. He would swear he could even hear the strike of the flint and the catch of the fuse.

And the overwhelming feeling of warmth from Sam wrapping his long arms around Dean’s waist as he snuggled in under Dean’s leather jacket. And the tingle as Dean stroked his fingers through Sam’s soft hair. And he felt the wordless exchange of ‘I love you’, that came on the warm wave of emotion that spread from one to the other. 

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Sam hadn’t touched his beer. He held the bottle but didn’t yet take a drink, not wanting to take his attention from the skies as the fireworks started. At the first pop, he squeezed Dean’s thigh and felt as Dean’s hand came to rest on his. Dean turned to see the wide eyes and look of joy that gripped his little brother. 

Sam is wrapped up in the noise and the brightness. It makes him happy. Dean scoots closer and Sam feels his big brother’s hand ruffle his hair, then slide down the back of his head until it rests on the nape of his neck. He doesn't squeeze, it’s softer.

Sam looks to Dean and sees a smile he believes he hadn’t seen in a long time. 

Sam remembers another night of fireworks.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

He remembered thinking’ heaven should be like this……………..


	4. Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "These precious days I’ll spend with you” *

The seasons are changing. 

Sam and Dean decide to spend some time in the northeast. They want to see the leaves change color, drive along a quiet road and enjoy the sight of a rainbow close enough to touch. They want to walk, maybe even holding hands or snuggle up as they feel the crisp air lightly sting their cheeks letting them know they’re alive and the world is a beautiful place. 

They find a tree, its branches wide and spread like an open umbrella splashed with paint, a pale green, a soft yellow, a combination of red and orange almost like fire. A warmth at odds with the slight chill in the air.  
Sam sits against the tree, settling on a bed of dry leaves that rustle and crunch as he makes himself more comfortable.  
Dean is standing beside him also leaning against the tree. He reaches up and plucks a leaf from the closest branch. He twirls it by the stem with his fingers , almost mesmerized by the subtle changes in the colors as it spins. He knows these leaves are dead or dying and shrugs then shakes his head as he thinks how strange…..  
His thoughts get interrupted as Sam speaks his name. It’s almost a whisper and that’s what gets his attention. He lets go of the leaf in his hand, watching a soft breeze catch it as he answers his brother. “Yeah, Sammy .”

“You know how they say that spring is the beginning? You know like nature and love and all that?” Sam pauses, not expecting an answer but, enjoying the feeling of Dean’s fingers as they slide through his hair, knowing without words that he has Dean’s full attention. 

“I always felt that autumn was like that. The beginning of things”

A few seconds pass before Dean speaks and Sam isn’t sure if he had spoken the words out loud. 

“Sammy, is that low blood sugar or are you just really tired. ‘Cause dude…” He ruffles his little brother’s hair and lets out a long low whistle. 

Sam laughs, mostly at himself, and tugs at Dean’s arm. “Shut up and come down here.”  
Dean allows himself to be maneuvered until he is seated between Sam’s legs and wrapped in his arms. He closes his eyes leaning his head back on Sam’s chest, his own arms now resting on his brother’s. 

Sam leans his head back and watches the leaves dance, swinging on the branches suspended by their thin stems. He is reminded of marionettes controlled by someone pulling the strings . .

He lets his mind wander. 

September 2008: Dean returns from hell  
October 2005: Dean comes to Stanford  
November 1983: Dean saves Sam from the fire

 

September, October, November.

Yeah, It’s in the fall that Sam’s life starts again.

 

The four seasons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * "September Song" (composer: Kurt Weill / lyrics: Maxwell Anderson )


End file.
